CANT


Meaning of CANT in English

I. ˈkant adjective

Etymology: Middle English, probably from Middle Low German * kant

Date: 14th century

dialect England : lively , lusty

II. verb

Etymology: cant (III)

Date: circa 1543

transitive verb

1. : to give a cant or oblique edge to : bevel

2. : to set at an angle : tilt

3. chiefly British : to throw with a lurch

intransitive verb

1. : to pitch to one side : lean

2. : slope

III. noun

Etymology: Middle English cant side, probably from Middle Dutch or Middle French dialect; Middle Dutch, edge, corner, from Middle French dialect (Picard), from Latin canthus, cantus iron tire, perhaps of Celtic origin; akin to Welsh cant rim; perhaps akin to Greek kanthos corner of the eye

Date: 1603

1. obsolete : corner , niche

2. : an external angle (as of a building)

3. : a log with one or more squared sides

4.

a. : an oblique or slanting surface

b. : inclination , slope

IV. adjective

Date: 1663

1. : having canted corners or sides

2. : inclined 2

V. intransitive verb

Etymology: perhaps from Middle French dialect (Norman-Picard) canter to tell, literally, to sing, from Latin cantare — more at chant

Date: 1567

1. : to talk or beg in a whining or singsong manner

2. : to speak in cant or jargon

3. : to talk hypocritically

VI. noun

Date: 1640

1. : affected singsong or whining speech

2.

a. : the private language of the underworld

b. obsolete : the phraseology peculiar to a religious class or sect

c. : jargon 2

3. : a set or stock phrase

4. : the expression or repetition of conventional or trite opinions or sentiments ; especially : the insincere use of pious words

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.